SAN JOSE — Sharks forward Tommy Wingels, an advisory board member of the You Can Play Project, was happy to hear Monday about NBA player Jason Collins, who became the first active professional athlete among North America's four major sports leagues to admit he was gay.

"I think it is a monumental day. It's very encouraging for the LGBT community and more importantly sports in general," Wingels said. "This is a day that's been coming for a while. For an athlete to feel comfortable in his sport says a lot.

"We'll see where it goes from here. From what I've seen and read, support and reaction from teammates, media and the world have been great."

The You Can Play Project was established in 2012 as a way increase tolerance and support of LGBT athletes at all levels of sports. The NHL and NHLPA formally announced a partnership with You Can Play earlier this month as the league hopes to increase education for teams, players, fans and media.

The project was established by Philadelphia Flyers scout Patrick Burke, whose brother, Brendan, then a teammate of Wingels' at Miami University in Ohio, came out in 2009. Brendan, son of former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke, was killed in a car crash in Feb. 2010.

Wingels, who spoke at Brendan's funeral, is also joined on the You Can Play advisory board by Andy Miele of the Phoenix Coyotes, another teammate of Brendan Burke's at Miami. Golden State Warriors president Rick Welts is also on the board.

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"The support was there," for Collins, Wingels said. "That's ultimately what matters, the people around you and the media. Primarily those that are real close to you, those in the locker room and your teammates. It's an encouraging day for the sports world."

Sharks coach Todd McLellan felt that if an NHL player were to say he was gay, he would be supported by his teammates.

"It takes a lot of courage, and I'm sure he's getting a ton of support," McLellan said of Collins. "It not an easy thing to do, but you have that support from your teammates. They take care of you."